County approves expansion of Maverick Rock LLC mining use amid residents' traffic, dust and water concerns

The Utah County Commission on April 19 approved an expansion of a vested mining use for Maverick Rock LLC on the Okelberry property, allowing the company to proceed with applications and permitting for additional mining operations.

The decision follows a public hearing in which neighbors and the mayor of Goshen, Utah, raised concerns about heavy truck traffic on narrow roads, dust control, stormwater runoff and the proximity of the proposed operation to Goshen’s water sources.

Why the vote matters: Under state law and county ordinance, an existing vested mining use can be expanded if the applicant shows the new area is contiguous, part of the same mineral trend or a geological offshoot. County legal staff told commissioners the applicant submitted geological reports and a memorandum of lease showing control of the property; absent “clear and convincing” evidence of imminent public danger, the county must allow the expansion and then attach conditions to address…